We have our next big ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday, January 4th, and I'll be just about 16 weeks along. Even though my doctor isn't promising they'll be able to tell genders, I've got my hopes way up! So I added a voting bar on the right side - I want to see what y'all think our babies will be! This idea was shamelessly stolen from another blog I read, so some of you may recognize it.
You have two weeks to vote before the ultrasound; let's see how close we all get to the truth! I honestly have no idea what they'll be. Adam's family is a bunch of boys; my extended family is dominated by girls. I find myself hoping a little that they're boy/girl, for the sole reason that we have a boy and a girl name picked out that we LOVE, and I want to be able to use them both! Obviously, I'll be thrilled no matter what. If we end up with two of the same gender, I can dress them alike until they can't stand it anymore. :o)
Thanks to all of you who continue to celebrate this experience with us - we are so grateful for the privilege of bringing these babies into the world!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Ugh.
I was apparently WAY too premature in thinking that 1st trimester symptoms were coming to an end. This morning as I was getting ready for work, I threw up my entire breakfast. Sigh. I actually think I probably caused it. My doctor has prescribed a bunch of vitamins for me to take, and I'd been previously taking them before bed, but all the large pills have been making me gag. So I thought maybe if I took them in the morning before I ate anything, I wouldn't gag as badly. That is true - the actual act of taking the pills this morning was much easier. But the end result - major barf - was not good. So back to the evening I go...sigh.
I'm also a bit discouraged because of the weight gain issue. It's really silly, but I've been flirting with a certain milestone weight - 120 - for about two weeks, and I just can't seem to maintain it. I FINALLY hit 120 a couple of days ago, in the morning, before eating (when we're at our lightest), and I was so excited! But the next day, I was back down to 119. Argh! I know in a few months when I'm leaving 160 behind I'll probably look back on this and laugh, but right now it just seems like every pound is a hard-fought battle. It's also very funny to see this in perspective - I have definitely never been so frustrated about not being able to GAIN weight! Pregnancy is a strange time of life!
Ok, enough complaining. Adam and I are getting so excited about Christmas vacation! We are spending a week over Christmas with my parents in Vegas, and then flying to Kansas for a week over New Years for Adam's cousin's wedding. I just love this time of year, and I can't wait to spend so much time with the ones we love. We have incredible things to celebrate this year, so it feels even more special than usual.
And of course I need to include a baby update! I passed the 13-week mark yesterday. Our little ones are, according to my pregnancy email, the size of large shrimp. Personally, I think that's stupid - shrimp are not a fruit! I do not like inconsistency! So Adam and I have decided that they're kiwis this week. A couple of really interesting tidbits - they have fingerprints now (so cool!), and if either are girls, they have all their eggs for their entire lifetime already. So I may have the building blocks of grandbabies in my tummy, which is very neat but a little strange!
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas holiday and remember the main reason for celebration - the ultimate gift of the life of Jesus Christ. We are so blessed.
I'm also a bit discouraged because of the weight gain issue. It's really silly, but I've been flirting with a certain milestone weight - 120 - for about two weeks, and I just can't seem to maintain it. I FINALLY hit 120 a couple of days ago, in the morning, before eating (when we're at our lightest), and I was so excited! But the next day, I was back down to 119. Argh! I know in a few months when I'm leaving 160 behind I'll probably look back on this and laugh, but right now it just seems like every pound is a hard-fought battle. It's also very funny to see this in perspective - I have definitely never been so frustrated about not being able to GAIN weight! Pregnancy is a strange time of life!
Ok, enough complaining. Adam and I are getting so excited about Christmas vacation! We are spending a week over Christmas with my parents in Vegas, and then flying to Kansas for a week over New Years for Adam's cousin's wedding. I just love this time of year, and I can't wait to spend so much time with the ones we love. We have incredible things to celebrate this year, so it feels even more special than usual.
And of course I need to include a baby update! I passed the 13-week mark yesterday. Our little ones are, according to my pregnancy email, the size of large shrimp. Personally, I think that's stupid - shrimp are not a fruit! I do not like inconsistency! So Adam and I have decided that they're kiwis this week. A couple of really interesting tidbits - they have fingerprints now (so cool!), and if either are girls, they have all their eggs for their entire lifetime already. So I may have the building blocks of grandbabies in my tummy, which is very neat but a little strange!
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas holiday and remember the main reason for celebration - the ultimate gift of the life of Jesus Christ. We are so blessed.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Bye bye, 1st trimester!
I can't believe it. I passed the 12-week mark yesterday, so I'm now officially in the 2nd trimester! (Well, according to some sources. Others say 14 weeks, but I'm picking this one and sticking with it.) I know the 2nd trimester brings with it promises of many good things: less fatigue, less sickness, vastly lowered risk of miscarriage, etc. And while I've actually been more tired this week than last, I love the promise of changes hopefully coming soon!
Our babies are now the size of limes, and my tummy is the size of a basketball. Not a whole basketball yet, but like I sliced off a third of a basketball and stuck it under my shirt. I'm still able to wear several non-maternity shirts and dresses, but I am exclusively in maternity pants now. And lucky me, a couple of days ago a new pregnancy symptom visited me - swollen feet! It wasn't too bad, but after a long day of sitting in meetings and not being able to get up and walk very often, my shoes were definitely tight and my feet tender to the touch. I've started trying to grab an extra chair in meetings for my feet, and get up and walk at least every half hour, but it's difficult sometimes. I know this symptom will likely get much worse, so I want to establish those good habits now before I REALLY swell!
I also need to update on our Program for Multiples day Monday! It was amazing; I'm so glad this program is offered in Houston and that we got to participate. I love our clinic; I feel very taken care of. We got a looooong ultrasound (~1 hour) where everything related to our babies was measured and photographed: heads, legs, arms, hands, stomachs, intestines, umbilical cords, placentas, etc. It was really neat to just sit in there and watch our babies on the screen for such a long time. They are super adorable (in my unbiased opinion)!
We also got a genetics consultation, where our detailed family history was taken, and every tiny question we had was answered. Adam has a birth defect that required surgery when he was an infant (and left a ridiculously huge scar on his stomach!), and I have a cousin with Down's syndrome, so we talked at length on those subjects. Thankfully, neither of these issues affect our babies' risk because neither are typically hereditary, so that was a great relief.
Next was our consultation with the dietition. Oh, boy. I want to reiterate that I'm so glad we got to do this, but this part wasn't fun. I knew I would have to gain a lot of weight. I had no idea how much. First, there's the twin aspect - more weight than a usual pregnancy. Then, there's the "skinny Erin" aspect - I'm just barely in the category of underweight, but that added more weight to the goal. Finally, an additional 7 pounds is tacked on when a twin pregnancy is your first pregnancy, just for fun I think. So the final number is...wait for it...53 - 74 pounds.
When I heard this number, my mind just went blank. I know it seems like fun, right? Permission to eat whatever you want for 9 months? But it intimidates the heck out of me. I'm really not sure I'll be able to hit this number! But all I can do is try my best, so that's what I'll do.
The good news is that our babies are healthy and still measuring ahead of schedule, so that's really what it all boils down to. We are extremely blessed!
Our babies are now the size of limes, and my tummy is the size of a basketball. Not a whole basketball yet, but like I sliced off a third of a basketball and stuck it under my shirt. I'm still able to wear several non-maternity shirts and dresses, but I am exclusively in maternity pants now. And lucky me, a couple of days ago a new pregnancy symptom visited me - swollen feet! It wasn't too bad, but after a long day of sitting in meetings and not being able to get up and walk very often, my shoes were definitely tight and my feet tender to the touch. I've started trying to grab an extra chair in meetings for my feet, and get up and walk at least every half hour, but it's difficult sometimes. I know this symptom will likely get much worse, so I want to establish those good habits now before I REALLY swell!
I also need to update on our Program for Multiples day Monday! It was amazing; I'm so glad this program is offered in Houston and that we got to participate. I love our clinic; I feel very taken care of. We got a looooong ultrasound (~1 hour) where everything related to our babies was measured and photographed: heads, legs, arms, hands, stomachs, intestines, umbilical cords, placentas, etc. It was really neat to just sit in there and watch our babies on the screen for such a long time. They are super adorable (in my unbiased opinion)!
We also got a genetics consultation, where our detailed family history was taken, and every tiny question we had was answered. Adam has a birth defect that required surgery when he was an infant (and left a ridiculously huge scar on his stomach!), and I have a cousin with Down's syndrome, so we talked at length on those subjects. Thankfully, neither of these issues affect our babies' risk because neither are typically hereditary, so that was a great relief.
Next was our consultation with the dietition. Oh, boy. I want to reiterate that I'm so glad we got to do this, but this part wasn't fun. I knew I would have to gain a lot of weight. I had no idea how much. First, there's the twin aspect - more weight than a usual pregnancy. Then, there's the "skinny Erin" aspect - I'm just barely in the category of underweight, but that added more weight to the goal. Finally, an additional 7 pounds is tacked on when a twin pregnancy is your first pregnancy, just for fun I think. So the final number is...wait for it...53 - 74 pounds.
When I heard this number, my mind just went blank. I know it seems like fun, right? Permission to eat whatever you want for 9 months? But it intimidates the heck out of me. I'm really not sure I'll be able to hit this number! But all I can do is try my best, so that's what I'll do.
The good news is that our babies are healthy and still measuring ahead of schedule, so that's really what it all boils down to. We are extremely blessed!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
11 weeks
I know I already posted once today, but I wanted to get back on track with my weekly progress emails. We are 11 weeks today - rapidly approaching the end of the 1st trimester! I can't believe how quickly the time is going. According to our pregnancy email, the babies are the size of figs. However, due to our appointment yesterday, we know exactly how big the babies are: 1.67 inches and 1.75 inches. Keep in mind that measurement is from crown to rump, so it doesn't include their legs. It's incredible how fast they grow!
This week I've started to notice a gradual decrease in symptoms - praise the Lord! Though I blessedly have had an easy 1st trimester, it's still wonderful to begin having a little more energy, fewer food aversions, and fewer mood swings. I count myself extremely lucky at the easy time I've had so far - my doctor was shocked when I told him yesterday I hadn't had much nausea. Apparently almost all women pregnant with multiples struggle with morning sickness big-time, and many end up losing weight from not being able to keep food down. I have tossed my cookies - wait for it - once. Unbelieveable. And I have steadily gained weight since about week 6, though not that much yet! I'm crediting good heredity for this blessing; my mom didn't have nausea during her pregnancy, either. Thanks, Mom!!
Beyond that, everything else is going great as well. Adam and I are starting to shop around for the big purchases - new car, double stroller, etc. We're somewhat specific on which models/brands we want, but we're still bargain-hunting and hoping to find good deals. Anyone know of a 2005 or newer Land Rover for less than $10k? ;o) (Hint: you don't. We've given up this dream.)
This week I've started to notice a gradual decrease in symptoms - praise the Lord! Though I blessedly have had an easy 1st trimester, it's still wonderful to begin having a little more energy, fewer food aversions, and fewer mood swings. I count myself extremely lucky at the easy time I've had so far - my doctor was shocked when I told him yesterday I hadn't had much nausea. Apparently almost all women pregnant with multiples struggle with morning sickness big-time, and many end up losing weight from not being able to keep food down. I have tossed my cookies - wait for it - once. Unbelieveable. And I have steadily gained weight since about week 6, though not that much yet! I'm crediting good heredity for this blessing; my mom didn't have nausea during her pregnancy, either. Thanks, Mom!!
Beyond that, everything else is going great as well. Adam and I are starting to shop around for the big purchases - new car, double stroller, etc. We're somewhat specific on which models/brands we want, but we're still bargain-hunting and hoping to find good deals. Anyone know of a 2005 or newer Land Rover for less than $10k? ;o) (Hint: you don't. We've given up this dream.)
New Clinic
I had my first appointment with my new doctor in the new clinic, and it was AWESOME! I am so glad we followed our gut and switched; to say it was a "better fit" than the previous place is a gross understatement. From the moment we walked in, everything just felt right. The building, waiting room and clinic rooms were very nice and comfortable, literally everyone we interacted with was super friendly, and the whole experience overall was just great.
My new doctor may be my favorite doctor I've ever met. He and his nurse both seemed as excited about our babies as we were! He sat with us for almost an hour talking about what to expect and answering our bazillion questions. In addition to his enthusiasm, I was really comforted by how he's approaching our pregnancy - with cautious optimism. He made sure to warn me about all the issues I'm at greater risk for due to the twins, and how we will keep an eye on these issues by having more clinic visits and ultrasounds. EXACTLY what I was looking for.
The one yucky part of the visit was that I had to get like 4 huge vials of blood taken - blech. But honestly, after getting blood taken 3 times a week during our in-vitro process, I think I can handle every few months! All for the babies, right?
One of the best parts of the visit was that we got a surprise ultrasound! We knew we'd get one this coming Monday at our big Program for Multiples day, but we didn't expect to get to see the babies yesterday. It was incredible. We hadn't seen them since 7 weeks, and they are HUGE! We could clearly see their heads, arms and legs, and one of them was practically doing gymnastics. He/she was kicking and flailing those arms and legs and doing flips. Somehow, seeing one of our little ones move made this whole thing even more real to me. These aren't just fruit-sized little organs in my body that 7 months from now will magically become babies - these are our babies already.
Of course, the absolute best part of the visit was the news that both our babies are perfectly healthy and on track (one is 1 day ahead; one is 3 days ahead). It is so comforting to know they are safe and growing inside my belly. I continue to pray every day for their safety, and every day we are given with them is a blessing.
And of course, I couldn't end this post without some photos! Enjoy! (10 weeks 6 days)
I'm having trouble with photo labels, so here's the legend:
1. Baby A
2. Baby B
3. Baby A and B (B looks a bit like a ghost baby; because of their placement, it's difficult to get them both in the same shot)
My new doctor may be my favorite doctor I've ever met. He and his nurse both seemed as excited about our babies as we were! He sat with us for almost an hour talking about what to expect and answering our bazillion questions. In addition to his enthusiasm, I was really comforted by how he's approaching our pregnancy - with cautious optimism. He made sure to warn me about all the issues I'm at greater risk for due to the twins, and how we will keep an eye on these issues by having more clinic visits and ultrasounds. EXACTLY what I was looking for.
The one yucky part of the visit was that I had to get like 4 huge vials of blood taken - blech. But honestly, after getting blood taken 3 times a week during our in-vitro process, I think I can handle every few months! All for the babies, right?
One of the best parts of the visit was that we got a surprise ultrasound! We knew we'd get one this coming Monday at our big Program for Multiples day, but we didn't expect to get to see the babies yesterday. It was incredible. We hadn't seen them since 7 weeks, and they are HUGE! We could clearly see their heads, arms and legs, and one of them was practically doing gymnastics. He/she was kicking and flailing those arms and legs and doing flips. Somehow, seeing one of our little ones move made this whole thing even more real to me. These aren't just fruit-sized little organs in my body that 7 months from now will magically become babies - these are our babies already.
Of course, the absolute best part of the visit was the news that both our babies are perfectly healthy and on track (one is 1 day ahead; one is 3 days ahead). It is so comforting to know they are safe and growing inside my belly. I continue to pray every day for their safety, and every day we are given with them is a blessing.
And of course, I couldn't end this post without some photos! Enjoy! (10 weeks 6 days)
I'm having trouble with photo labels, so here's the legend:
1. Baby A
2. Baby B
3. Baby A and B (B looks a bit like a ghost baby; because of their placement, it's difficult to get them both in the same shot)
Monday, November 29, 2010
Catch-up Post
I was chastised by a friend at church yesterday because I didn't post an update last week - sorry about that! I'm not as good at keeping up with this thing when I'm not at work. I'd better improve that before I go on maternity leave...I don't want to miss chronicling the lives of my new little twinkies! I promise I'll do better over Christmas break; that will be the next big test.
As of last Wednesday, we were at 10 weeks, and our babes were the size of kumquats. The size of huh-what? That's what I said, at least! I did a little research on what the heck a kumquat is, and here you go, for your edification:
kum·quat
[kuhm-kwot] –noun
1. a small, round or oblong citrus fruit having a sweet rind and acid pulp, used chiefly for preserves.
Other developments of note this week were that our babies now have fingernails and hair. This is completely amazing to me! Our babies are growing so fast! (and are hopefully less orange than this photo, teeheehee). Adam and I are consistently blown away with the miracle of this pregnancy, and honestly all pregnancies, because the gift of life is always a miracle.
I have my first prenatal appointment at the new clinic tomorrow, so I'll post another update soon. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving; we certainly did!
As of last Wednesday, we were at 10 weeks, and our babes were the size of kumquats. The size of huh-what? That's what I said, at least! I did a little research on what the heck a kumquat is, and here you go, for your edification:
kum·quat
[kuhm-kwot] –noun
1. a small, round or oblong citrus fruit having a sweet rind and acid pulp, used chiefly for preserves.
Other developments of note this week were that our babies now have fingernails and hair. This is completely amazing to me! Our babies are growing so fast! (and are hopefully less orange than this photo, teeheehee). Adam and I are consistently blown away with the miracle of this pregnancy, and honestly all pregnancies, because the gift of life is always a miracle.
I have my first prenatal appointment at the new clinic tomorrow, so I'll post another update soon. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving; we certainly did!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Switching Care
It's official - I have switched my prenatal care from my previous obgyn to a specialist group with another clinic. I am so happy; I think it will be a much better fit. My previous obgyn was very laid-back and didn't want to worry me with a lot of details, which for some people would probably be great, but for me was exactly the opposite of what I wanted. I like to be completely informed of all that could possibly go wrong, everything I need to consider, all precautions I need to take, so that I am mentally prepared for anything. I was definitely not going to get this at the previous clinic.
The new clinic I found treats all multiple pregnancies as high-risk, so I will get more ultrasounds and regular consults with maternal fetal medicine specialists (high-risk obgyns). This makes me very happy. My first appointment is the week after Thanksgiving; I so hope it goes well!
The new clinic I found treats all multiple pregnancies as high-risk, so I will get more ultrasounds and regular consults with maternal fetal medicine specialists (high-risk obgyns). This makes me very happy. My first appointment is the week after Thanksgiving; I so hope it goes well!
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